President, Rotary International
Not long ago, in a small health centre in the village of Aaye in southwest Nigeria, a woman arrived in labour carrying twins. The facility was short-staffed. The nurse midwife in charge was not present.
A community health worker stepped forward. She had participated in Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria, a Rotary Foundation Programs of Scale initiative. And though she was not formally trained as a midwife, she was equipped with essential emergency obstetric skills.
Hours later, both babies had been delivered, one at the health centre and the other at a general hospital, where the mother had been referred after complications were quickly identified. The newborns and their mother were alive and safe.
Women around the world face similar circumstances every day — moments when the difference between life and loss depends on well-trained medical staff and reliable systems and procedures.
Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria exists to increase the chances that those moments end in hope. By strengthening health systems and training frontline workers, this programme helps communities protect mothers and children even when circumstances are difficult.
This work reflects the very heart of Rotary service. Service is not only what we do when conditions are ideal. It is what we do when systems are strained, resources are limited, and the need is urgent. It is the commitment to prepare people before a crisis arrives and to stand with communities when it does.
Maternal and child health is not an abstract goal. It is deeply personal. It is a mother who survives childbirth. It is a newborn who takes a first breath. It is a family that remains whole because someone was trained, ready, and cared enough to act. Rotary understands that service means investing in people and systems long before they are tested.
Programmes like Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria show what is possible when Rotary brings together local knowledge, global partnerships, and sustainable solutions. By working alongside health professionals and local leaders, Rotary helps ensure that lifesaving care does not depend on luck or location.
The story of the mother and her twins is at its core a story of service. It is a reminder that Rotary’s impact is measured in human moments when people step forward to help others in their most vulnerable hours.
When we Unite for Good, service becomes more than an ideal. It becomes a lifeline for families, a source of strength for communities, and a promise that Rotary will continue to go wherever help is needed most.
Francesco Arezzo
President, Rotary International